Guide To A Tracheostomy

Recovery Process

Patients will typically need to spend a few days in the hospital after their procedure. As part of the recovery process, nurses will instruct the patient on how to clean the tracheostomy tube, and patients will also learn how to change the tube. These steps help reduce the risk of infection, and patients will need to continue cleaning and changing the tube for as long as they have a tracheostomy. Since eating will be too difficult at first, patients will be fed through a feeding tube, and they will work with a speech therapist to regain the necessary coordination for swallowing. Patients will be taught how to speak with their tracheostomy tube in place if possible, and they may need to use a heat and moisture exchanger to reduce the dryness of the air they inhale. Humidifiers may be recommended, and some individuals might need to learn how to use a suction device to clear secretions from the throat.